Chapter 1: If I Could
Ahcehera glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost time for another dose of medication, but she had a different feeling deep inside.
Tears welled up in her eyes, yet a soft smile bloomed on her lips.
She reached for her phone and opened her favorite novel.
The author hadn't posted any updates on time again.
Sighing, Ahcehera reread her favorite chapters, the ones that mentioned the kindness of the princess. She was smiling, but her chest began to ache in a strange, familiar way.
Is it still possible for me to read the last few chapters before the princess meets her tragic end?
Then, a notification popped up on the screen. It was a letter from the author apologizing to readers, explaining that the new chapters had been postponed for the day.
Ahcehera's smile turned wistful, tinged with sadness and longing.
She glanced at the clock again and wiped her tears.
Then she decided to stare out the window, letting the minutes slip by.
Time's almost up…
Ahcehera lay back on her bed and closed her eyes.
If I could write on behalf of the author, I'd change the life of the villainess princess.
I'd alter her fate. She deserves to live a good life.
She doesn't need to die, just like me. I want her to be happy and free.
When the attending doctor entered Ahcehera's room, she was no longer breathing.
-
A suffocating feeling engulfed Ahcehera, and she winced, expecting a less painful way to die.
Her breaths came in sharp gasps as she opened her eyes.
Where am I?
An unfamiliar room greeted her.
Her hand instinctively clutched her chest as air flowed through her nasal canal, filling her lungs. The sensation of being fully alive startled her.
What is this place?
Don't people who die go to the afterlife through the Underworld?
But this... this doesn't resemble anything like the Underworld described in books!
Suddenly, searing pain shot through her head, like it was on the verge of exploding.
Memories that didn't belong to her flooded her mind, images, events, and information that felt disturbingly familiar.
Wait... Ahcehera Bloodstone?
Isn't that the name of the villainess princess in the novel 'Major General Loves Me the Most'?
Panic set in as realization dawned.
How is it possible for me to occupy her body?
Did the author postpone the update because it contained the death of the villainess?
She needed to confirm the date, urgently.
Ahcehera rolled out of bed, her movements frantic, and began searching for something.
Her hands landed on a lustrous, metallic device.
The optical brain!
She remembered now. It was a habit of the princess to remove her optical brain at night, as she secretly possessed two.
One maintained her public image, while the second concealed her hidden identity.
When Ahcehera successfully accessed the optical brain of the princess and checked the calendar, she discovered that she had been sent to a timeline where the hero and heroine hadn't met yet.
It was a pivotal moment, the heroine had just arrived on planet Sirius to take the joint military entrance examination for the most prestigious military academy in the entire interstellar community.
Ahcehera realized that she was no longer a student of the academy but one of the examiners.
In the original plot, her character had been written by the author to act foolish and petty, consumed by jealousy over the heroine's beauty.
The princess had schemed to eliminate the heroine before her rise.
However, the heroine was blessed with extraordinary luck, and every scheme backfired, leading the princess to suffer immense karmic retribution.
I must avoid crossing paths with the heroine.
Her luck might affect me or those around me.
But am I truly free to act as I wish in this world?
Or are there hidden consequences for deviating from the villainess's original role?
The uncertainty made her cautious.
Being born into a royal household is already challenging enough.
I'll need to tread carefully, uphold my image, and address the hidden dangers around me one step at a time.
Determined to start afresh, Ahcehera began planning her day meticulously.
She decided to clean up the princess's public social media account on Starnet, the central network and social platform of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Systematically, she deleted old posts and curated a new image for the princess, distant, untouchable, and sophisticated.
Afterward, Ahcehera decided to manage her finances and review the businesses under her name. When she checked her bank account, the sheer amount of money nearly blinded her.
It's impossible for me to spend this much even in several lifetimes!
Then she recalled something crucial, as a Military Strategist, she was employed on the battlefield due to her extraordinary abilities.
While the princess was portrayed as a villain in the novel, she possessed rare and unique talents that earned her a significant role in the military.
Ahcehera glanced at the time and decided it was time for a transformation.
Sirius is an S-ranked planet in the Andromeda Galaxy, she mused.
It's the leading planet in technology, medicine, agriculture, and the development of weapons machinery.
It's also the safest planet in the galaxy, but it constantly sends military personnel to the frontlines to protect the citizens from Zerg invasions and interstellar pirates.
With a plan in mind, Ahcehera left her residence, followed closely by three shadow guards.
Let's get a makeover!
When she arrived at Demiglave Salon, the high-end parlor the princess frequented, a private room had already been prepared for her.
"Princess Ahce, should we start with your usual hair treatment package?" Elona, the salon's owner, asked politely.
"No," Ahcehera replied, her tone firm yet calm. "I want to cut my hair."
The room fell silent. Every staff member froze, their faces reflecting deep shock, as though they were about to witness an earth-shattering tragedy.
"Pardon, Princess?" Elona stammered, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"I want to cut my hair short."
The declaration sent ripples of alarm through the room, and everyone stared at her as if the galaxy itself had just shifted.